Siskiyou Family YMCA Bike racing series: A perfect evening for a ride

Wednesday

Jun 19, 2013 at 2:23 PMJun 19, 2013 at 4:44 PM

Bill Choy

For 10 years, the Siskiyou Family YMCA Bike Racing Series has given local folks a chance to get together and partake in a night of racing.The second event in the three-part series took place early Tuesday night at Upper Greenhorn Park. The first race in the series was last Thursday night.Before the race began, bike riders and their families gabbed with friends and fellow bike enthusiasts as they waited for the evening's two racing divisions to get underway. The B division takes one lap through Greenhorn, while the A division takes two laps.Race founder Jason Singleton said that he saw a similar type of race in Reno, Nev., and thought it would be something bike riders in Yreka and surrounding areas would enjoy. "I thought, 'why not here?'" Singleton said.Ten years later, the racing series is still going strong. Singleton said that the races are an event people can take part in after a long day of work, "where they can come and unwind."Since he was 14, Matt Dooley has taken part in the racing series each year.Dooley said that he always looks forward to taking part in the racing series."It's nice to do this with all your friends," he said. "It's low-key.""I love playing bicycles," Dooley added. "It's just a rush, even on a bad day."Helping keep the time all 10 years has been Jason Singleton's dad, Bob Singleton. An avid bike rider himself, he said that he loves taking part in such a positive event and to see a number of the same people take part in the bike races each year."It's just been fun to see all these young people enjoying riding," their bikes, he said. The final race is on Tuesday, June 25. The cost is $10.The B race is for beginner bikers and starts at 6 p.m., while the A race for expert bikers starts at 6:30 p.m. Sign-ups can be done at the park starting at 5 p.m. the day of the race, or by calling the Siskiyou Family YMCA at 842-0651.